New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-20
A HUGE OFFICIAL BLUNDER.
VOTERS REGISTER ON THE WRONG DAY.
THE BROOKLYN BOARD OF ELECTIONS REsPoN-
siBLE-Is THE REGISTRATION INvALIDf

A huge blunder came to light yesterday in
regard to the registration in Brooklyn. The law
says distinctly that the last day Of registration
shall be the Tuesday two weeks before election
day. The Brooklyn registration was completed on
Tuesday cf this week, which was three weeks
before the election What can be done to Offset the
nvalidation of the law is not yet clear and
Corporation Counsel jerks was asked for his
opinion yesterday.
All the arrangements for the election are in
the hands OF the Board OF Elections a nom
partisan body, containing two Republicans and
two Democrats The former are Timothy Perry
president OF the Board, and Charles Ii. Cotton
and the latter are John Gilbcrtson and Thomas
V. Porter. Only the last named was appointed
by Mayor Whitney. The four clerks of the Board
are also equally divided in politics. The fixing
of the dates for registration was done by Clerk
5. H. Andrews, who consulted with President
Perry. lie has had fourteen years experience in
the Office, and for twelve years has had charge
of this matter. The law in regard to days Of
registration is as follows:
The registrars of each election district shall me {
at the place sinatcd for holding tho lO therein at
of september, second Tuesday OF october ana
the TuesCtay occurring two week, before the day OF
elcction for the purpose OF registering the names OK
the legal voters of such election district.
In spite of this plain provision of the law.
the Board of Elections fixed the dates for rcgstr-
tion for Tuesday, september -, Tuesday, October
IL, and Tuesday, October Is, and provided for
the completion of the copies of the registry to be
made Wednesday. October 49,
NOT DISCOVERED TILL YESTERDAY.
The discovery of the error in holding the lasa
day of registration three weeks instead Of two
weeks before the election was not made until
yesterday. When the matter was first called to
tI,n ,ln tba
TO believe that an error had been made Clerk
Andrews SAID he had liked the dates according
10 the exact wording Of the law, and no mistake
had occurred. PresIucnt Perry attempted to eA-
plain the matter by saying that the dates were
an right; every eight years election aay Came
On November {, beng the first tuesday, alter tic
ilrst Mouday III the month, and then each sue
cetdlne year 1t came day earlier unul IL reached
November 2, That was the date last year. 80 TINS
year the last registlat.on day was moved back
one day, IRON October 10 To October Is. When
shown that it should have been moved forward,
because election day had gone forward, he saw
and admitted the error. lie said the whole Board
would have TO bear the responsibility of the
blunder Mr. Andrews said that it was the first
error made IN twelve years.
The matter was at laid before Mayor
Whitney and Corporation Counsel jerks. and
long consultation took place. The result of it is
that the CORPORATION Counsel will prepare
opinion in the matter for the Board today. When
seen by reporter last evening Mr.. jerks said
There has undoubtedly b en- a big Llundcr made.
have responsibility I'm the matter, as the Board
of Elections did consult about It at all To-day
my att ntion call to the error and have con
suited with the Mayor and the members Of the Board.
| Will prcpar, an opinion In the matter tomorrow
In regad to 1T can only say that the law distinctly
fore Election Day and all the machinery OF ressIa
ton must be used again on next Tuesday ! am not
The question Is whether the law /, invalmat by
registration on an extra day
SUGGESTING A PARrI,L REMEDY
! The law says th registrars must meet on three
specified days, but says nothing as to whether they
can meet on a fourth day receive registration. AS
tie bunder mace in good faith, think the courts
would give a wide construction ON that point.
! Ii would b, an act OF great injustice 10 the $1,000
voters who honestly recorded th,ir names stcriay,
to require th m To ~ To the lac'e Of registry asGn,
and In fact some of them al least would be dshan-
chis,d. because they would be unable from absence
/ num town, -ichueos o. other reasons, 30 register
again The primary IurpO,. OF the registration laws
j. lrotcc, the purity o the ballot, and 80 long a.,
nothing i, don, to ac that. by letting al who haVo
Air idy registered vote, am inclined TO thlhk tno
registration of Yesterday Is valid ana that no dlhi.
Guilty VIII b, found IA SO declaring IT. hut WI
consult the highest roriic- and be able to siye
an authoritative opinion go morrow.
President Perry, OF the Board Of E.cctions,
sad last evening
think yesterdays registration VIII be held valid
w directed to sii again next tuesday anu lceoia
The names OF all intending voters. 1t viii Lot ba
/ -
ue intent of the law Will be carried out
The matter caused much discussion in political
circle, in brooklyn yesterday. IL was thought
that an addlt oual day If registration wOild lnuro
t. the advantage OF the Democrats, VINO wou.i
then know for whom they were 10 vote on lhc
local tickets. and would be aroused 10y the larse
gains i'm Republican wards on Tuesday. The addl-
tonal day of REGISTRATION Will add - the ccctlon
cNpcnscS. rs the registrars will haVc 10 be pad
[ for that day and the places OF registration VIII
have to be- hired for the extra day There were
37.30l persons rec stored ON Iuc>daN lt'9l>tr"'op
IN this city is under different law from that ID
! Brooklyn.
PRoPOSING \ METHOD OF COMPROMISE.
4 conference was held by IA number of members
of the Republican Campaign Committee last even
lng at No. % Smith-st.. and the subject was care
! fully discussed. .Jcre Johnson advised that test
case BE made By going TO Judge Cullen, III tho
! Snprcmr Court. to-day and applying for manda-
| mus compelling some registrar to remove the namo
of the man registered Tuesday, 50 that decision
might sutLertativeiy settle tue matter, lhis
| proposition was not favorably received. and
| Major Hobbs proposed thar conference
! lie held with the Democratic leaders. with the oD-
irct of making an agreement not to contest the re-
/ suit of the election If persons WHO registered on
! Tuesday voted but 10 abide by the result AZ me
| pollS until the Legislature meets III January ana
! then secure tie enactment of law legaliZing the
work of the Board or Elections IN holding tine hnaI
day of registration a week 700 early. NJ er Il long
/ discussion Mr. Green proposed that a conference
be- held with Corporation Counsel jerks ana az
late hour the committee starred IN search Oh ul'h'
General b. +. Tracy, an ex-JudSe OF tne Court OF
| Appeais said last evening tnat he n conferred
| with CORPORATION Counsel Ienks and agreed with
him that the registration this week was valid, put
! IL would be necessary TO have an additlolai dav
next Tuesday. The law wos explicit In saying
! that registration must be taken on certain days.
but it did not say that other days might not be
/ drsirnated before the last day. No one who had
registered properly could be disfranchised, and on
error of the Board should not vitate the actions OF
innocent people.
u,yv prpSOyS IDENTIFY MORGAN